Ogilvie Captures Title Down Under

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ADELAIDE, Australia -- Joe Ogilvie struggled to a 1-over 72 Sunday but held on to win the season-opening Jacob's Creek Open Championship. Ogilvie finished the tournament at 5-under-par 279, one shot clear of Australia's Shane Tait.

Mahal Pearce shot a 5-under 66 to finish three strokes off the lead in a group at 2-under-par 282. Pearce was joined by David Morland IV and Peter Senior in a tie for third.

It wasn't pretty Sunday at Kooyonga Golf Club but Ogilvie managed to survive a back nine collapse for his third career victory on the Nationwide Tour.

'It feels great to start the year off with a win,' said Ogilvie. 'I'm glad it's over.'

Ogilvie began the day with a two-shot edge over Tait and birdied the first to begin to pull away. At the ninth, Ogilvie landed his second shot inside 10 feet for a birdie to reach 8-under and just like that the 28-year-old had a five-shot lead over the field.

The problems started for Ogilvie at the par-4 12th. His tee shot landed underneath a tree and his second shot ended up hitting a branch and travelling a few feet backwards. He ended up with a double-bogey and failed to get up and down at the par-4 13th to drop another shot.

'It was really great the first 11 holes and then 12 happened, and then 13 happened,' said Ogilvie.

Tait drained an 18-foot putt at the 14th to pull within two of the lead at 3-under. Ogilvie countered at the 15th, however, with a birdie from the fringe to pad his advantage.

Ogilvie was not out of the dark yet. He found a fairway bunker off the tee at the 17th en route to a bogey to fall to minus-5. All eyes then turned to the closing hole.

Ogilvie played his approach short and knocked his third shot within seven feet at the par-4 18th. Meanwhile, Tait reached the green in two and ran home a lengthy birdie putt to pull within one. Ogilvie remained calm and drained the par putt to secure the victory.